Sled.



H. A. LEACH.

SLED.

APPLalCATION FILED JUNE 28. 1911.

1,260,920. Patented Mar. 26,1918.

nanny nfrnaen, or rnovrn'encn, anoint ISLAND.

mea er.

To grZZ whom it concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A.L1 1Aon, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleds, of which the fOllOWiIlg is a specification.

My invention relates to sleds and particularly to those having a flexible frame.

The essential objects of my invention are to facilitate steering; to direct the flexibility along lines which obviate the advance of one runner beyond the other runner; to-combine strength with flexibility; to prevent skidding; and to enable facile assembling and disassembling.

2 To the above ends essentially my invention consists in such parts and combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification Figures 1 and 2 are side and plan elevations respectively of my sled, showing parts broken away,

Fig, 3, a detail of a turnbuckle, and

Fig. 4, a transverse section of the sled on line H of Fig. 2.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

My sled is of the frame type comprising two sides or frames 5 and 6 of like construction flexibly connected at their upper portion, so that a description of one will serve for both. Each frame comprises a top rail 7 provided with a series of vertically disposed oblong curved holes8. Near the ends of the rail are oblong rectangular horizontally disposed slots 9. Mortised in this rail are outwardly inclined standards 10 whose lower ends are fast in a runner 11. The runner is disposed at right angles to the standards. Fixed to the runner by bolts 12 is a flat steel shoe 13. The heads 15 of the bolts are countersunk in the shoe flush with the running surface of the latter. The forward upwardly inclined end 16 of the runner has its periphery counterbored as at 17 to form a seat for the head 18 of a bolt 19 uniting the runner with the top rail.

The top rails are connected as follows. Rounds or bars 21 have reduced ends 22 of Specification of "Letters iatent.

regenerate-nearest Zea-i917. as. irrg' iss.

provided having an oblong rectangular cross.

section but of less thickness than the depth of the slots 9 in which the slats are seated.

The width of the slats, however, is of substantially the same dimension as the length of the slot 9'. Hence relative vertical movement only of the frames is permitted.

In perforations 25 in the top rails, in alinement with each other are metal rods 27 provided with threads 28 on their inner ends, and having heads 29 on their outer ends abutting against the outer faces of the top rails. Engaging the threads 28 are turnbuckles 30.

It will be observed that the frames 5 and 6 are vertically but not longitudinally movable relatively to each other. Hence the rider, when he wishes to steer the sled to the right, for instance, merely lifts the forward end of the right frame upwardly, and by so doing depresses the heel or rear end of said frame relatively to the other frame, which act creates increased friction upon the snow at the depressed point and swings the sled to the right.

It will be noted that by virtue of the runner and shoe being disposed at right angles to the supports 10, and the latter being flaring relatively to the rounds and slats which constitute the supporting body of the sled, the sharp inside edge only of each shoe engages the snow or ice, thus preventing skidding or sluing upon an icy surface.

The slats 23 serve as guards to prevent fracture of the rounds in case of collision.

It will be understood that the dimensions of the holes 8 and slots 9 are exaggerated in the drawings to show the principle involved. But slight play of the parts in the holes and slots is effective.

It will be further noted that the sled is rendered portable by its capacity for ready disassemblage of parts. This is effected by turning and thus detaching the turnbuckle, after which the bars, rods and slats are easily removed, and the side frames may he pliced in contact with each other side by s1 e.

What I claim is 1. In a sled, the combination of rails provided with holes, supports on the rails, runners on the supports engaging the ends of the rails, shoes on the runners, cross bars loose in the holes, rods in the rails provided With threads on their adjacent inner ends, and turnbuckles on the rods engaging the threads.

2. In a sled, the combination of top rails provided with vertically disposed oblong Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing'the "Commissioner of Interns,

holes, supports on the rails, runners on the supports, shoes on the runners, cross bars vertically slidable in the holes, rods in the rails, and turnbuckles on the rods.

3. In a sled, the combination of top rails provided With vertically disposed oblong holes and slots, supports on the rails, runners on the supports, shoes on runners, cross bars vertically slidable inthe holes, guard slats loose in the slots, rods in the rails, and turuhuckles on the rods. 7

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

HARRY A. LEACH.

Washington, I). C." 

